Gives up 3 hits over 7 scoreless innings in 1-0 victory as he ups bid to stay in Cubs rotation

SAN FRANCISCO — Rookie Chris Rusin made a fill-in start for the Cubs when Scott Feldman was traded to the Orioles on July 2, then another Monday when Matt Garza was dealt to the Rangers.

Rusin said after Monday's victory over the Diamondbacks that the reason he was called up over Brooks Raley was he was on schedule to pitch that day.

But now the spot is Rusin's to lose, and he's making the most of his audition.

Rusin retired the first 13 hitters he faced and threw seven shutout innings in the Cubs 1-0 victory over the Giants.

Rusin didn't allow a hit until two outs in the fifth, and gave up only three on the night in a dominant outing.

Nate Schierholtz's home run off former teammate Sergio Romo snapped a scoreless tie in the ninth after Pedro Strop escaped a bases-loaded, no-out jams in the eighth.

The Giants then loaded the bases with one out off Kevin Gregg in the ninth but Tony Abreu grounded sharply into a first to home to first double play to end the game.

Road warriors: The Cubs came into Saturday's game with 24 road victories, eclipsing last year's mark of 23 with two months remaining.

"The goal was to be better on the road, that's for sure," manager Dale Sveum said. "Some guys are (performing better because of) the age factor, guys being around more, understanding that the preparation needs to be the same on the road as at home. You never can pinpoint (the reason for) wins and losses (on the road)."

Samardzija watch:Jeff Samardzija is the latest Cubs player to hear his name in trade rumors after Fox Sports reporter Ken Rosenthal mentioned the possibility Saturday on the Fox pre-game show.

"That's a new one," Sveum said. "I don't think that's going to happen. We have control of a guy for 21/2 more years. Somebody had to throw something out there and was bored and put some silly rumor out there."

Samardzija won't be a free agent until after the 2015 season. Asked about Saturday's rumor, he laughed it off.

"It could be anything," he said. "It doesn't actually come from a trusted source."

Cleanup: No one would have guessed in spring training that Dioner Navarro, who had two home runs in only 69 major league at-bats last year, could be the Cubs' cleanup hitter in July.

But Navarro took that spot on Saturday against Madison Bumgarner, replacing Alfonso Soriano.

"His numbers against left-handed pitching are as good as anybody," Sveum said.

The switch-hitting Navarro entered Saturday's game with nine home runs overall and a .515 average in 33 at-bats against left-handers.